Johnathan Crane was in his study drawing up ways to make his toxins more potent. With Batman on a crime cleaning spree it wasn't easy for him to be seen out in a bout as Scarecrow to get his supplies. So he had to be inconspicuous about it. He was distracted by the sudden knock on his door. It was soft, but urgent. 'Who the Hell is that?', Scarecrow hissed. He walked over in irritation, expecting the worst. No one else knew where he lived... Except. He quickly opened the door. " Harley? Get in", I motioned as I took her coat. As she turned around to face him, she was the same girl he knew years before she was mixed up with The Joker. Except, broken. "I hope this is okay?", She asked quietly. Once she stepped into the light I realized she had been crying, and she wasn't wearing her wig.
Not many knew that Harleen Quintzel was a brunette. At least she was when I had met her. "You know you're always welcome. Does he know?", I said as I locked the door.
Joker and I weren't enemies at all, it's just that I've always hated him for the way he treated Harleen. I took her to my couch so she would be more comfortable. " No. He has no clue", She said avoiding me. She then scooted closer to me and looked up. Finally into my eyes with her deep blues. "Johnathan, I'm done with him. Completely...", She said with a sigh.
'Finally', Scarecrow mentioned. I brushed it off and came closer to her. " Harley? What exactly do you mean?", It was too good to be true.
Harley was so obsessed with the Joker she became certifiably insane. This happened after Scarecrow took over. Once I escaped Arkham I had planned to see her, but it was too late. We used to work at the asylum together before she had met him. Harley and I met in high school, while girls rejected me, and jocks beat me up and made fun of me, she was always by my side. I have always loved her and forever will. We both do. "Johnny, I'm a psychologist! How ironic is it that I fall for a man who is criminally insane and continues to abuse and mistreat me, yet I run back to him? Is it mania? Stockholm Syndrome? Or is it just that he was able to get in my head for so long?", She asked tears starting to come down.
I couldn't do anymore than just hold her. How I used to when she'd sneak into my bedroom because her dad was beating her. Little did Harley know that I was the cause of his death... "Shh, dear it's okay, he can't hurt you. Please tell me, what made you realize this?", I said happy that she left him. Yet I felt the need to call Ivy.
Even though I immensely loathed that woman, Pamela always had Harley best interest at heart and that's the one thing that stopped us from killing each other. I quickly text her from the number she gave me only to talk about Harley. 'Did she really leave him?'.
Within seconds Ivy messaged me, 'Yes. She's came to her senses. She's with you? Good.'
That reassurance gave me so much relief. " Two months ago... I was afraid to leave", She said looking away.
" He left me for dead after punching me and stabbing me. He never came back. I waited for 4 hours before I found help.", She sighed.
" Why didn't you come to me then?", I asked, I had seen her around that time. Joker tried to do business with me. Now I realized what her glances were about.
" I was afraid. But now, he's in South America trying to talk to Bane... I told his goons that I was going to Ivy's, they didn't question it", She said.
"I'm going to make some tea", I stated as I stood up.
I felt a cool hand touch mine. I'm not accustomed to this type of intimacy, except for when I'm around her...
" Johnny, I'm seriously done with him.", She said.
"I know", I replied stroking her hand.
There was so much more I needed to ask her, yet there were more answers that I'd rather not know. He was very abusive, in every meaning of the word. I was afraid to ask. I waited for her to finish getting ready for bed. She walked in the living room wearing her black night dress she packed. It was very plain, but she looked stunning in it. "Coming to bed?", She asked with a smile.
"Yes, but with my insomnia, I doubt I'll get any sleep", I sighed. Hiding my excitement. Last time we had fallen asleep together it was while watching Army of Darkness. That was a week before Joker came into play.
I went into bed with her and laid down. She looked at me intently. " Are you sure this is okay? My staying here, us trying to get back to how things were?", She asked rapidly.
" Yes. It may be difficult, but we'll work through it", I kissed her forehead as she drifted to sleep.
"I love you", I whispered as I left the room.
I continued to work in my study, counting my materials when Scarecrow woke up ' He's going to look for her... He doesn't even love her, but he sees her as his possession. She's ours and always will be. He'll only hurt her. We can't allow it''.
" No we will not", I stated, just then I heard Harley crying.
I ran to the bedroom and saw her with her head in her hands. "shh, I'm here. It was just a nightmare", I said ironically.
" no, a flashback", she cried.
I felt myself hold her, yet with a tighter grip, not painful in any way. " I'll kill that clown before he lays a hand on you ever again", this time, scarecrow had spoken out loud.
Which slightly startled her. She's heard him but only with my mask on. She smiled and said, "Scarecrow, I never knew you cared".
We couldn't help but smile back. " more than you could ever know. I may be evil and crazy, but I would never hurt you"...